Upside Down World: Early European Impressions of Australia's Animals
Australian History Art History Natural History Colonial History Illustrated Reference Environmental History Animals in Art
Upside Down World: Early European Impressions of Australia’s Animals is the lavishly illustrated, award-winning journey behind the first European pictures of kangaroos, koalas and platypuses—images that literally turned the scientific world upside-down. Curated by natural-history author Penny Olsen, this 240-page National Library of Australia treasure reproduces centuries-old engravings, watercolours and sketch-book pages that have rarely been displayed since they were created by explorers, naval artists and convict illustrators from 1770-1860. For collectors and history-lovers, owning this 2010 large-format softback means holding the same plates that once shocked European audiences who had never seen a creature that hopped or laid eggs yet nursed its young.
What makes the book so special is the way Olsen pairs each breathtaking artwork with the back-story of the animal and the artist, revealing how early impressions ranged from hilariously wrong to scientifically groundbreaking. Readers discover why the first kangaroo was painted with a deer’s head, how the platypus was declared a hoax, and which sketches became priceless propaganda for the new colony. The generous 250 mm × 220 mm page size lets every lithograph and hand-coloured engraving breathe, while captions explain conservation, colour fading and the slow birth of Australian ecological awareness—perfect for young adults, art students and anyone who wants coffee-table beauty plus real scholarship.
Because it is a textbook-quality reference produced by the National Library, Upside Down World is both a readable narrative and an authoritative citation source for school projects, university essays or museum talks. Condition-wise, this copy is in very good shape: clean, tight pages with no writing, no ex-library marks, and only light edge rubbing to the illustrated cover—a fault that keeps the price friendly while still giving you a book that looks fresh on the shelf. For anyone passionate about Australian history, natural-history art, or simply the quirky story of how the world came to know our wildlife, this edition remains the most accessible and visually stunning gateway available.
Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.
Buy Now